1. Field of the Invention
The principles of the present invention relate generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular, to a system for providing power to data processing components. Still more particularly, the principles of the present invention relate to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for providing power over a data network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing systems are often connected with other devices and data processing systems using a data network. The data network provides the networked data processing systems and devices a communications medium over which data may be exchanged with each other.
Many types of wired and wireless networks are available for networking data processing systems and devices. Wired networks utilize physical wires that can carry electrical data signals for connecting data processing systems and devices to communicate over the network. Wireless networks generally utilize radio waves for connecting the data processing systems and devices to the network in a wireless manner.
Different network interface cards may be used in a data processing system for connecting to different networks. A “card” is a common term for a circuit board containing a circuit that can be connected with another circuit board. A card generally connects to and communicates with another card through “connectors” mounted on each card. Such connectors are designed to couple with each other such that circuits on each card can interoperate.
A connector is an element in a circuit that enables connecting the circuit to electrical wires and other circuits. A common example of a connector is the familiar clear plastic terminal at the end of a telephone cord that “clicks” into the wall outlet for a telephone connection. The clear plastic terminal at the end of the telephone cord is a male RJ11 connector. The wall outlet that the telephone cord clicks into is a female RJ11 connector. Another example of a connector is an RJ45 connector, which is a slightly larger terminal that looks much like the RJ11 connector and often is used as a terminal at the end of a networking cable. The male RJ45 connector connects with a female RJ45 connector that may be available in a wall outlet or at the end of another network cable.
A “network interface card” is a card that contains a circuit for providing a data processing system connectivity to a network. For example, an Ethernet card is a network interface card that provides data communications capabilities over Ethernet. “Ethernet” is a type of data network capable of operating at one or more data transfer speeds. As another example, a token ring card is a network interface card that provides data communications capabilities over a token ring network “Token ring” is a type of network that utilizes a token data for data communications amongst the networked data processing systems.
Other devices can also be present in a network. Such devices can be used in the network in conjunction with or separate from a data processing system. These devices may further contain network interface cards, or functional equivalents thereof, for providing the devices connectivity to the network.
The data processing systems and devices connected to a data network typically contain electronic components that consume electrical power for their operation. “Electrical power” is the electricity of certain type, voltage, and amperage used to power a given appliance, device, or application. Presently, such devices have a power source from which they derive the electrical power. For example, a network interface card in a data processing system can be connected to the data processing system's power supply.
As another example, a device, such as a router or a redundant transceiver, derives power from a power supply unit that is designed specifically for that device. A “power supply unit” is an electrical unit that connects to a device and provides electrical power to the device. For example, a power supply unit may be a power source, such as a battery or a power coupling, such as a transformer or an inverter, or a combination thereof.
A “router” is a device that provides data communications amongst the various data processing systems connected to the router, and between these connected data processing systems and a network. A “redundant transceiver” is a data transmitter and receiver that can connect to a data processing system on one end and several networks or devices, such as routers, on another end. Connected in this manner, a redundant transceiver provides redundant connections to the data processing system for ensuring continuous data communications should anyone of the several connected networks experience a failure.
Certain data processing environments, such as a data center, provide a power source to power the data processing systems. These data processing environments also provide separate power sources for powering other devices that operate in conjunction with the data processing systems. The power sources for powering the other devices is typically alternating current (AC) power provided by a conventional wall socket or available in rack-mount systems, as understood in the art. Using such power sources causes data centers to be vulnerable in the event of power outage, power surge, or other power disruptions as the device can fail even when the data processing systems continue to operate.